[2 articles]
Why war and beautiful songs make Hair today just as good as it ever was
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1266378/Hair-musical-Why-war-beautiful-songs-make-Hair-today-just-good-was.html
By Baz Bamigboye
16th April 2010
Standing on stage at the Gielgud Theatre for the happenin' at the end
of Hair on Wednesday night, when half the audience ponces about and
dances alongside the cast, I looked up to the dress circle and saw a
man waving a white T-shirt which read Peace And Love, a highly
appropriate message for what is, essentially, an anti-war, rock 'n' roll show.
Then I felt a wave of sadness that Hair, which came out of the
counter culture of the Sixties and the protests against the Vietnam
war, was still relevant today because of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
My son, reluctantly standing on stage with me, reminded me that a
million people marched against the war in Iraq and that they would
get something out of Hair.
He hadn't seen it before. When I asked him about it a while back, he
remarked: 'Oh, you mean that hippie s***.'
He changed his tune after Wednesday, because he knew most of the
songs from movies and adverts.
He's going to tell all his friends to see it - if they can afford the
tickets, that is. To his mates, £22 is a lot of money to sit in the
grand circle - and they certainly can't afford to sit in the stalls (£50-£60).
I hope young people do go. It's such an important show and this
production is so vital and energetic, and is beautifully sung.
The anti-war message is what hits home for me, and when Caissie
Levy's Sheila started to sing Good Morning Starshine, I felt my heart
breaking.
I hope people do find the money to see Will Swenson's Berger, Gavin
Creel's Claude, Darius Nichols's Hud, Kacie Sheik's Jeanie, Sasha
Allen's Dionne and other members of the tribe who have been directed
by Diane Paulus in a way that makes me feel I will never forget this
group of actors.
They've got life - and so has Hair. I just wish theatre tickets
weren't so expensive, but go see this.
--------
'Hair gave us the willies'
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2933992/The-Saturdays-Hair-gave-us-the-willies.html
By TIM NIXON
15 Apr 2010
THE SATURDAYS got more than they bargained for at the West End launch
of Hair - when male cast members unleashed their, erm, male members.
The wholesome girlband were shocked to see "full blown willies"
onstage at the opening night of the revamped musical.
Their blushes were triggered by a couple of characters who strip
naked to intimidate police as part of an anti-war demonstration.
But it seems the sexy fivesome were left more unsettled by their
full-frontal shenanigans than the fictitious cops.
Singer ROCHELLE WISEMAN Tweeted after last night's performance: "No
one prepared me for nudity. Full blown Willies!
"WOW - I'm scarred. What an amazing show though."
Bandmate VANESSA WHITE was equally flustered by the unexpected
appearance of liberated manhoods.
She wrote: "Wow they were actually all FULLY NAKED wooo haha - was
unsure where to look!"
They should stick those quotes on the poster...
.
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